Season for Caring breaks giving record with more than $805,000

Deloris Fields kissed her son, Connor Guenther after picking him up from daycare. Fields was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer on Dec. 4, 2015, the day after her son was born. RESHMA KIRPALANI / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

It was the story of Jacob Rodriguez-Lopez, a young father who was trying to take care of his 4-year-old daughter with Down syndrome after the loss of his wife in August to cancer. And it was the story of Deloris Fields, a young mom with metastatic breast cancer, who was trying to make it to her son’s first birthday and beyond. And the story of Rosalba Martínez-López a mom with cervical cancer who wondered how her four children and grandchild would go on without her.

As of Wednesday morning, Season for Caring has raised $805,923, the most ever in its 18-year history. The previous record was $780,000 in 2007.

Season for Caring has now raised more than $10.5 million since 1999 to help local nonprofit groups throughout Central Texas. Donations are still being accepted through Jan. 31, and checks already received are still being counted by the Austin Community Foundation, which administers the fund.

“Year after year, our generous readers and business partners such as Factory Mattress, P. Terry’s, Star Furniture and Whataburger embrace the Statesman Season for Caring campaign, and prove that, together, we can make a difference in our community,” said Statesman Publisher Susie Gray. “It’s an honor to announce that 2016 was the most successful season on record, raising more cash and in-kind donations than ever before in the 18-year history. On behalf of the campaign and hundreds of Central Texas families, thank you to our readers and business partners. I would also like to acknowledge the Austin Community Foundation for administering the Season for Caring fund since its inception in 1999.”

Each year Season for Caring features a dozen families nominated by local nonprofits. The money raised helps the featured families first but then gets used by the nonprofit agencies throughout the year to help hundreds of other families with basic needs such as rent, groceries, medical care and transportation. Season for Caring has thus far distributed $22,000 this season to each agency. The rest of the donations will be distributed at the beginning of February.

Mark Needham eats lunch with family friend Addie Raab, 10, at P. Terry’s Burger Stand on West William Cannon Drive on Dec. 10. Profits from all P. Terry’s locations were donated to the Statesman’s Season For Caring Campaign. JAY JANNER / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Rosabla Martínez-López hold her granddaughter Sofia Guerrero Mondragón as her daughter Kimberley Mondragón-Martínez looks on during their visit at the Hospice Austin’s Christopher House in October.RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Each of the families still have items on their wish lists and still need monetary donations to help the featured families and so many more.

“Having Season for Caring raises the level of hope, ” says Z Blair, a client coordinator at Care Communities, which supports people with cancer or HIV/AIDS. “We are able to lift the quality of life of several of our clients. That wouldn’t be possible without the funds.”

Season for Caring

It’s not too late to make your Season for Caring donation. Donate now through Jan. 31.

• To make a monetary donation to Season for Caring, send it to P.O. Box 50066, Austin, TX 78763-0066, or go online to statesman.com/seasonforcaring.